Be My Forever
by a.pename
Summary: Claire is eighteen and entering her Senior year of high school. Will she find out that Quil has imprinted on her? How will she react? Find out in Be My Forever.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: **This is my first fanfiction. I do not own any of the Twilight characters. Reviews are greatly appreciated. :)

* * *

**JPOV**

"Uncle Jake, can I ask you something?" Claire sat in the passenger seat of the truck, staring out of the window as we made our way to the Res.

"Sure," I replied, "fire away." Claire was now eighteen and starting her senior year of high school. Technically, she was Emily's niece and more distantly related to me, but I'd known her since she was just a baby, and she'd always called me Uncle Jake.

"You imprinted on Aunt Nessie when she was a baby, right?" I was struck with surprise by her question but managed not to show it.

I nodded. "Yes," I said, "why?" She shrugged and looked away.

"I just-" she paused. "Just curious." Claire looked deep in thought and fell silent.

"Are you sure?" I asked. "You know you can tell me anything." She nodded.

"It's nothing, Uncle Jake. Like I said: just curious." We both fell silent again, and I waited for her to crack. Finally, about a mile down the road, she did.

She sighed. "Fine. I was wondering if that's happened to anyone else in the pack." Something major was going on here. I pulled over and looked at her.

"Claire, where are you going with this? What's really going on here?" I looked at her with concern. "And don't say 'nothing'. We both know that isn't true." She looked down for a second, silent.

"Uncle Jake, you're the pack leader, so you would know if anyone imprinted, right? Well, last week when we had the bonfire, and we were listening to the legends, it got me thinking." She paused and drew in a deep breath. "Everyone always says how Quil used to be such a player, but I haven't ever seen him even so much as flirt with any woman. And then I thought how he's always been there for me, like you were always there for Aunt Nessie…and I was thinking- hoping - that maybe the case was the same for me." Claire looked away in embarrassment, staring out the window at nothing.

I sat there, nodding and processing all that she'd said. "You're right, Claire. I would know if he did, but I can't tell you."

She looked up, searching me for answers, and nodded. "I thought that'd be the case. Okay, Uncle Jake, I understand." I smiled at her, leaning over to rough her hair. I put the car back into drive and pulled back onto the road.

"It'll all work out, Claire-bear," I reassured her. "Just give him time. Sometimes we men are a little slow to catch on." At this, she laughed.

"I know it will," she answered. "I believe you. Thanks for listening, Uncle Jake."

"Always."

* * *

**CPOV**

After my chat with Uncle Jacob, I felt better, like a weight had been lifted off my chest. Someone knew. I desperately wanted to know whether Quil had imprinted on me when I was young or not, but I also felt that I owed him the respect to tell me himself. Still, the anxiety deafened me. What if I was wrong? What if there was someone else?

Over the past year, my feelings for Quil had started to change. At first, I began to notice him more. I began to appreciate the way his muscular body pulled at parts of his shirt, the way he talked with his deep, soothing voice, and the way he smiled with such an impish grin. As time went on, I started to feel more shy around him and more painfully aware of my own appearance. And yet, he remained the ever-loyal best friend I'd always had.

We arrived at Aunt Emily's house, and Joey ran out to greet us.

"Cwaaaaiiiiiirrrreeee!" The toddler jumped in my arms, hugging me.

"Hey, kiddo!" I laughed. Joe looked at me funnily.

"Siwwy Cwaire! I no kiddo! I Joe!" He pointed to himself defiantly, and I couldn't help but laugh. I looked at Uncle Jake as he passed us and saw that he was laughing too.

"So, what's up, Joey? How's my guy?" He smiled widely.

"I can count to five now!" he exclaimed. "See? One, two, free, four, five!" He held up this hand to demonstrate.

"Wow! You're so smart!" He beamed with pride as we walked toward the house.

"Unca Qwil says you smart too," Joey stated. I laughed.

"What else does Uncle Quil say?" I asked with slight amusement. Joey tapped a finger on his chin as he thought.

"He said you pretty!" Joey replied. I coughed in surprise.

"Really?" The toddler nodded.

"I think so too!" he said matter-of-factly. I smiled.

"Thanks, Joey." I gave him a kiss on the forehead as we entered the living room. The house was full of pack members, standing and sitting in circles talking. I spotted Quil and smiled. He broke away from the group and approached me, his hair slightly tousled (undoubtedly from running patrols earlier.)

Joey squirmed and I let him down. He ran off to find his mom, leaving Quil and I alone.

"Hey," he said, wrapping me in a tight hug. "How are you? How was your day?" My stomach fluttered at his touch, and I tried to keep from blushing.

"Good. Everyone was all excited at school today. You know, first day back, new lockers, seeing friends again." I shrugged. I didn't mention my talk with Uncle Jake. "How about you?"

"Oh, you know, just running patrols, protecting everyone for the greater good," he replied nonchalantly. I laughed and gave him a shove.

"Claire!" a voice behind me boomed, and I turned around to come face to face with a large chest. I looked up to find it belonged to Embry as he wrapped me in a bear hug.

"Hey, Em," I replied, coughing. "You're kinda squishing me." He loosened his grip, holding me at arm's length.

"Look at you, Miss Claire Young!" He wolf whistled. "When did you become such a beaut?" I snorted, smacking his arm.

"Quit it!" I laughed. "You saw me yesterday, goof!" He exchanged looks with Quil.

"Doesn't mean you're not pretty," he sang, slipping away. I shook my head. Embry. What were we going to do with him?

Embry was Quil and Uncle Jake's best friend, and since I spent so much time with Quil growing up, Embry became like my older brother. Annoying and terribly loud, I couldn't help but love the guy. Of course, there were times I just as easily wanted to kill him too. Like I said, siblings.

For a second, Quil had an unreadable expression on his face. When he saw that I was looking, he quickly smiled once again.

"C'mon," he said, "dinner is ready."


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:** Chapter 2 is here! Sorry for the weird formatting. It has now been fixed. I think I'm going to keep this first story pretty short. Again, reviews are appreciated. :)

* * *

**QPOV**

Claire had grown into a beautiful young woman. With deep, brown eyes; long, jet-black hair; and a petite hourglass figure, it was easy to see why she turned so many heads. In addition to her outward beauty, Claire was sharp, level-headed, and talented in all forms of art. She painted, drew, played guitar and piano, acted, and sang. I was proud at how well-rounded she had become.

Her popularity with the boys made me uneasy though. I wondered how long it would be before one of them would catch her eye. At the same time, I too had begun to fall for her. It was hard not to; after all, she was my imprint. I frowned, thinking about this. Claire still didn't know about the imprint, and she was now old enough to understand. At some point, I had to tell her, but I didn't know when the right time was. How would she take it? Would she think it was creepy? Would she reject me? Would she be mad I hadn't told her before?

"Quil," a voice broke through my thoughts. "Quil? Are you okay?" I shook my head, clearing my thoughts. Claire stared at me with a worried look on her face.

"Yeah, sorry," I replied. "I'm just tired." She smiled sympathetically.

"Me too. You ready to go?" I nodded.

After exchanging hugs and goodbyes, Claire and I walked toward her house a few streets over. Claire's mother, Faith, had moved down to La Push with Claire and her older sister, Liz, after her husband died in a car crash. The accident happened only a few months before I met Claire.

Claire and I spent a lot of time together, and Faith often let me babysit the girls. Faith accepted the imprinted without much conflict so long as I agreed not to tell Claire until she was of age. So I kept my promise, and finally, Claire was an adult. Now, my problem was finding a way to tell her.

Claire leaned against my bicep as we made our way to her house, my body heat keeping her warm in the cool night air.

"Quil," she asked.

"Hmmm?"

"If I go away to college, will you come visit me?" The thought of Claire leaving for college was excruciatingly painful, but I wanted her to get a good education and be happy.

"Of course, Claire-bear," I replied, using the nickname I'd given her.

"I don't know if I'm ready to leave La Push yet," she murmured. I gave her a small smile.

"You don't have to decide today," I reminded her. "And if you're not ready when the time comes, that's okay too."

"Thanks, Quil," she yawned. "What would I do without you?"

* * *

**CPOV**

"I'm telling you, Claire, he likes you," Natalie pointed out, taking another bite from her sandwich.

"But I just want to be friends," I groaned. "Why does it always have to be the nice ones?"

Natalie laughed. "Girl, most people your age wish for your problems."

"But I'm not most people, Nat. I don't do drama," I emphasized, pointing my fork in her direction. "I just want to be friends with Damon."

"No, you don't," she agreed, "And I know you do. Speaking of drama and friends, what is going on with you and Quil?"

I sighed, exasperated. "It's complicated. I like him, Nat. Like, _really_ like him, but he's one of my best friends. I don't know what to do. If I don't tell him, I might explode, but at the same time, if I do and he doesn't reciprocate, I might lose him as a friend." She hugged me and rubbed my back.

"It'll all turn out," she reassured me. "I know it doesn't seem like it now, but it will." I nodded.

* * *

"Hey, Claire!" a voice called after me. "Wait up!" I turned to find Damon running towards me.

"Hey," I answered, "what's up?" He stopped and was breathing hard.

"I was wondering…if maybe…you'd like to go…for coffee with me…tomorrow?" he asked. He looked hopeful, and it hurt me.

I took a deep breath. "I'm really sorry, Damon, but I already have plans tomorrow." His face fell.

"Oh." He sounded hurt. "I understand. It's okay."

"Maybe some other time?" I offered, trying to repair the situation. "Tomorrow just isn't a good day."

"Yeah." He nodded, forcing a smile. "Okay, sounds good."

"Thanks for understanding," I emphasized. "I'll-"

"Claire!" Quil waved at me, standing next to his truck.

"I have to go," I said apologetically. "See you later!" I hurried over to meet Quil, leaning into his embrace. Breathing in his woodsy scent, I suddenly felt much calmer.

"Hey, how are you?" Quil smiled and took my bag, tossing it in the backseat.

"Pretty good," he answered, opening my door for me, as usual. Climbing into the driver's seat, the engine roared to life. "Who was that guy that you were talking to?"

"A friend," I replied casually, gaging his reaction. "He wanted to know if I could hang out tomorrow."

"Just you and him or other people too?" he asked, glancing at me as he watched the road.

"I told him I couldn't," I continued. "I already made plans with you." Quil gave me an impish grin, making me feel better about the decision I'd made.

* * *

**QPOV**

As Claire walked out of the building, I saw a guy run after her. He was medium height with light brown hair. I'd never seen him before. He stopped her, calling her name, and she turned to talk to him.

At this point, I felt my wolf begin to get agitated, wanting to intervene and protect her. She looked uneasy as she conversed with him, and suddenly, I saw his face fall. He just got turned down. My wolf huffed with irritation. I had to do something. I called out her name.

For the rest of the day, I was steaming with anger that that guy had asked Claire out. Who did he think he was? I paced the living room, ruminating.

"Quil, seriously," Embry asserted, "go for a run. You'll feel better. But for God's sake, you're driving me nuts!" I huffed indignantly and slammed the back door.

Phasing into the woods, I just started off, unsure of where I was going. I snapped into the pack mind, finding Jake and Leah.

"Quil, what're you doing? Is something wrong? You're not supposed to be on patrols," Jake communicated. I immediately thought of the situation with Claire, unwillingly revealing my conflict. I felt Leah roll her eyes.

"So a guy asks her out and you go berserk?" she replied dryly.

I growled. "She's my imprint, Leah," I snapped back. "How the hell do you think I'm going to react?"

"Both of you, enough!" Jake interjected. "Quil, you need to calm down. It's not like she said 'yes'. Leah, stop aggravating him." Leah snorted.

"I'm leaving," she announced. "My shift is over. I'll leave you boys to your drama." I waited for a second until she phased out, leaving Jake and I alone.

"Did this ever happen to you?" I asked him. "With Nessie?"

"Well, Nessie was a little bit different because she grew so quickly. She couldn't really go to school, but there were a few times when we were out that guys hit on her. I almost broke a few noses," he admitted.

"What do I do, Jake?" He ran through a few possible solutions. I caught a glimpse of Claire in his truck, but he quickly changed thoughts. Weird.

"You know," he threw out there, "you could just tell her you imprinted. I mean, she is eighteen now, so you're not breaking the 'Mom Rules'. And I know you're just being dense because the Quil Ateara I know can tell when a girl likes him." I mulled this over.

"It's just…I don't want to mess this up," I confided. "When I was younger, I didn't care if my relationships lasted a long time or not. I was just having fun. But, this isn't like that. This is Claire. And she means the world to me."

"Quil," Jake answered, "just think about it, okay?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: **Annnndddd, here comes Chapter 3! This chapter is super short. Again, I do not own any of the Twilight characters, and reviews are appreciated! Happy reading!

* * *

**CPOV**

I tossed and turned, thinking about the day's events. Did Quil imprint on me? Did he like me? Was I ready to go off to college? Did I want to leave home? What would I tell Damon if he asked me out again? How would I let him down easily? I sighed, turning over again.

Suddenly, I heard something outside. I sat up and looked around my bedroom, heart pounding. Another thud, this time, closer. I got up, swiveling around to look out my window. I gasped. A large, brown wolf had its paw against my window. Quil. Smiling, I opened it, and patted his head.

"Hey," I whispered. "What are you doing here?" His deep chocolate eyes gazed back at me, and he wagged his tail, licking my face. I couldn't help but giggle. "One sec."

Running to my dresser drawer, I pulled out an extra pair of shorts Quil kept here. I handed them to him, and he took them in his mouth, trotting around the side of the house. A few minutes later, Quil appeared in the shorts, and gave me an impish grin.

"Hey, Claire-bear," he whispered. I climbed through the window into the cool night air, joining Quil as he sat at our favorite tree a few yards away. "Couldn't sleep?"

I nodded. "You?" Sitting beside him, I leaned against his warm body, the touch of his smooth, russet skin sending chills down my spine.

"Are you cold?" He pulled me into his chest, his strong arms wrapped around me. "I was out for a run. I needed to clear my head."

"Is everything okay?" I asked him.

"Yeah," he answered, "I mean, it is now, at least." He stared down at me pointedly, and I turned, blushing.

"Oh," was all I managed to say. He chuckled softly. Was this really happening? Or was I dreaming?

"Do you want to know what upset me earlier?" I nodded, still not meeting his gaze. "It was the fact that I know that boy asked you out." I swallowed, focusing on breathing.

"What was his name?" he added. "Daniel? Donny?"

"Damon," I replied, barely a whisper.

"Oh yes, Damon," he concluded. "And I realized I wasn't angry so much at him as I was at myself. Do you know why, Claire?" I swallowed again.

"Why?" I played along, daring to steal a glance at him. His eyes were tender as they gazed at me, and butterflies rose in my stomach.

"Because I should have been the one to ask you. Not him." Now I stared at him, searching him for any sign of humor, but he was all seriousness. "I like you, Claire."

I studied him in silence for a moment as his words soaked in, and I again wondered if I was dreaming.

* * *

**QPOV**

My heart pounded, its unsteady rhythm as loud as a drum beating in my chest. I sat there, frozen, wondering if I had made a mistake. What was she thinking right now?

Finally, she spoke up. "Am I dreaming?" A slow smile crept up my face.

"No, definitely not," I answered, now amused. Still, she looked confused.

"And this isn't some kind of cruel joke?" she asked cautiously. I shook my head.

"I wouldn't dream of it." Her face lit up in realization, and she beamed up at me.

"Then, I like you too, Quil," she admitted. Yes, this was my Claire. I leaned over, laughing, and kissed her forehead.

On my way back from my run and talk with Jake, I realized it was now or never. Claire was an adult now, and she was getting ready to apply and go off to college. I had to do this right - if I waited too long, I could miss my opportunity. It was then that I passed her house, by habit, and decided to stop. And now, here we were, confessing to each other under our favorite tree in the dead of night.

"Claire," I began, "there's something else-" I stopped. Snoring softly, she had fallen asleep my chest, a peaceful expression across her face. I picked her up and carried her back to her bedroom, tucking her into her bed.

"Goodnight, sleep tight, don't let the vampires bite."


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: **And in comes Chapter 4! Quil is such a romantic! And isn't Claire adorable? Oh, and here we get a little peek at Embry's POV. Reviews are amazing! ;)

* * *

**CPOV**

When I woke in the morning, it took me a second to remember what had happened the previous night. Had Quil and I really confessed our feelings for each other? I sat up and stretched, yawning. A notecard sat on my bedside table, and even from a distance, I could see that it was Quil's messy scrawl.

"Claire," it read, "Yes, it was real. Love, your Quil." I smiled, looking at the last line again. _Your Quil._

Throwing on jeans and a t-shirt, I stuffed my notebook and pencils into my bag and hooked it over my shoulder. My mom sat at the kitchen table, sipping coffee and skimming the newspaper.

"Hi, honey," she yawned, lifting her arm for a hug. I leaned in, kissing her on the cheek.

"'Morning, Mom." I continued through the kitchen to the foray.

"Hey," she called, "where are you going? Aren't you going to eat breakfast?" I peeked back through the doorway to the kitchen.

"Quil's house. And I promise I'll eat there," I replied. "It's Saturday - Embry always makes pancakes." She sighed.

"Okay," she conceded, "be careful. Tell the boys I say 'hi'."

"I will!" I yelled back. "Love you, Mom! Bye!" I raced out the door.

* * *

**EPOV**

There was a small knock on the door, and a second later, Claire appeared, bag in hand and grin plastered to her face.

"Yo, Claire-bear, what's up?" I reached over to hug her small frame.

"Oh, nothing much," she answered. "Where's Quil?" Claire hung her bag over the back of a chair and poured herself a cup of coffee.

"I think he had patrols this morning," I mused, flipping the oversized pancakes I was making.

At that moment, the backdoor slammed, and a shirtless Quil waltzed in. He spotted Claire and smiled.

"Hey." Quil's face lit up as he went over to hug her and place a kiss on her cheek. I looked at him weirdly for a second. Did he always do that? I got my answer when he slid his hand down to meet hers, lacing their fingers together. I stared, and Claire blushed, looking up at Quil.

"W-when did this happen?" I stuttered. "And why didn't anyone tell me?" I frowned at Quil. Some friend he was.

He chuckled. "Always dramatic. For your information, 'this' happened last night, and you would have known if you would have gone on patrols like you were supposed to this morning."

"I-I-Someone had to make the pancakes!" I replied defensively, mock glaring at my housemate.

"Um, speaking of which…" Claire inputted, "I think they're burning."

"No, but seriously," I reiterated to both of them, "it's about damn time. I mean, finally!" We sat around the table, Claire and Quil close together, eating breakfast. Now that they were finally together, it was almost sickening how cute they were. They rolled their eyes at me.

"So, how many people know?" Claire asked, bumping Quil playfully with her elbow.

He shrugged. "Jake, which means Nessie probably knows, which means that the Cullens probably know; Seth and Leah; Jared, who will undoubtedly tell Kim; and Paul, which means Rachel."

"So…pretty much the whole pack minus Uncle Sam and Aunt Emily," Claire clarified, counting off the number of people on her fingers.

"I'm sure they know by now," Quil answered honestly. "Now I'm just waiting for Sam to break down my door."

When Claire's father died, her only living relatives left were her mother's in-laws, Sam and Emily. The couple had graciously become very involved in both their nieces' lives, and Sam had taken on a fatherly figure, especially for Claire. Although he accepted Quil's imprint on her, Sam was still extremely protective, and I would not be surprised if he decided to come marching in when their relationship turned romantic.

"Don't worry, Quil," Claire reassured him. "If anything, I think we have to worry about both our mothers." Quil chuckled nervously at the thought.

The two widows, Joy and Faith, became best friends when Faith moved her kids down to La Push. Together, they worked through Faith's grief over her husband, and Joy listened with an understanding compassion. They did everything together, from laundry to grocery shopping, and they teased their kids mercilessly about one another. When the two moms found out that their children were finally together, they would go crazy.

"When do you think we should tell them?" he inquired. "We might as well sit them both down together. Otherwise, we'll have to go through the squealing twice, and you know that if we told one, she would call the other anyway." Claire laughed knowingly and nodded.

"That is true," she conceded.

* * *

**QPOV**

I still hadn't told Claire about the imprint, and I didn't know when I'd get the right chance again. I felt guilty from keeping the truth from her through the years, and I knew I had to figure out a way to tell her.

Our mothers sat on my mom's front porch, sipping iced tea, and chatting away. They waved as we approached, and I looked at Claire, who waved back. Lacing our hands together, she nodded, and we made our way up the walkway.

"Hey, kid-" my mom stopped mid-sentence to smack Faith's arm. "Faith! Faith! Look! Are you seeing the same thing I'm seeing? Does this mean-are you guys?" Faith's mouth dropped, and she stared at Claire, incredulous.

"Claire Mary Anne Young," she scolded, "you-this morning-why didn't you tell me?!" Claire reddened and shrugged sheepishly.

"I-I-" she stuttered.

"We wanted to tell both of you together," I interjected, smiling. Claire gave me a grateful look. "So, yes, Mom, this does mean we are together." The two women looked at each other, smirking.

"Didn't I tell you this would happen soon?" Mom teased Faith.

"Oh, please, Joy," Faith fired back, "we both knew this day was coming!" Again, they both stared at us before squealing. Claire and I exchanged sympathetic looks. At least they didn't hate the idea of us…or hate each other.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: **Chapter 5! Woot woot!

* * *

**CPOV**

September flew by, and the leaves on the trees fell, and I eased into the routine of school. As October rounded the corner, excitement of Homecoming littered the halls, along with the festivities of Spirit Week.

Mr. Vincent rambled on about the events in the book we were currently reading called _The Jungle_ by Upton Sinclair. I zoned out the window, thinking about Quil. By this time, I was pretty sure that he had imprinted on me - the evidence was there. Why hadn't he told me yet then, if that was true? Was he planning to tell me at all? Surely he would, right? Quil had always been honest with me, and I had a hard time believing that this would be any different. Perhaps he was waiting to see if I was serious about him? But, shouldn't he understand that I was? I had never dated, even though I had been asked out a few times. I never had feelings for anyone but him.

My thoughts were interrupted by the opening of the classroom door. Damon walked in, carrying a bouquet of roses, and looked directly at me.

"Excuse me, Mr. Vincent," he said, striding toward my desk. The whole room fell silent, and I could feel that all eyes were on me.

"Damon," I whispered, furious and embarrassed, "what are you doing?" He simply smiled and held out the roses.

"Claire, will you go to Homecoming with me?" he asked, receiving a few "awwww's" from girls in the class. I heard a few egg me on, pressuring me to say "yes."

I stood up and gave him an irritated smile. "Can we talk outside for a second?" I countered, grabbing him by the arm to drag him out of the room. A few kids snickered.

Shutting the door behind me, I sighed.

"Damon," I began sympathetically, "look, we've been over this. I think you're a nice guy and all, but I just want to be friends. I'm dating someone." He scoffed.

"And I told you, Claire, that I wasn't going to give up. You'll see," he replied stubbornly. "I know you're 'dating' that Quil guy, but all's fair in love and war, Claire-bear."

I grit my teeth hearing him use my nickname. "My feelings for Quil aren't going to change, Damon. I'm sorry."

"Maybe your feelings won't change, but his will. I know he's a lot older than he looks, making him much older than you. He's had way more experience with girls. Believe me, he'll get tired and move on," he told me. "But, I won't, Claire. You and I, we're the same age, and I've dated few enough girls to know that you're the one. I'll never move on or get tired of you."

"Please, Damon," I said, "stop." I turned away from him.

"I'll never give up," he repeated.

"I've got to get back to class," I replied, exasperated.

* * *

As I walked into the auto shop, I spotted Quil under the hood of a red car. His oil-stained t-shirt was taunt against his back, revealing his muscular frame, and he hummed to the tune of the radio. Coming up behind him, I wrapped my arms around his torso, breathing in his familiar scent. He turned to face me with a smile and swooped down to place a kiss on my cheek.

"Hey," he said, "how was school?" I tensed, wondering how to tell him about Damon.

"I-it was a long day," I settled on. Quil raised his eyebrows. "But better now that I'm here. How's work?"

"Good. I'm just finishing up," he replied. "Is everything okay?"

"It's just drama, Quil," I reassured him quickly. "Go ahead and finish whatever you need to finish." He squeezed my hand before ducking under the car once more.

"So," he called out, "what's going on?"

"It's Damon," I answered reluctantly. "He-he doesn't seem to get it." I looked at him cautiously as he continued to work, trying to gage his reaction.

"What do you mean, Claire?" he asked, grabbing a wrench.

"Um, well…he asked me to Homecoming today," I mumbled meekly, sucking in a breath. Quil shot up and hit his head on the hood.

"He what?!" Turning around, he rubbed the back of his head, staring straight at me.

I swallowed. "Oh, God, Quil," I confessed. "He won't leave me alone. He said that he'll never give up trying and that you are so much older and have more experience with girls and that you would get tired of me, and I told him that I just wanted to be friends but now I don't even know if I want to be friends with him and, Quil, please tell me he's wrong about us." I looked away, holding back tears.

"Hey," he murmured. "Hey, Claire, look at me, sweetheart." He touched my chin, and I turned to look into his eyes.

Quil cupped my face with his hands, stroking my cheek with his thumb.

"I will _never_ get tired of you, and I don't care what age you are or what age I am. We've been through a lot together, you and me, and I'm here to stay if you want me. So don't you dare listen to that bastard, got it?" I nodded, a tear escaping the corner of my eye.

* * *

**QPOV**

I was going to kill that son-of-a-bitch. Fuming in silence next to a glossy-eyed Claire, I determined that I had to tell her about the imprint soon. She deserved to know that I was one-hundred percent committed to her in a way that words could not express. She deserved to know that that boy was completely wrong in every way possible. She deserved to know that I loved her and would always stay by her side.

But first, I had to run. I could feel my wolf inside me, agitated, as furious as I was. He wanted out to blow off steam, but at the same time, we both agreed that we did not want to leave Claire in this state. I contemplated my options.

"Claire, would you like to run with me? I mean, with my wolf?" I asked, reaching a stop light. She looked at me, smiling slightly.

"I haven't done this since I was a kid," she answered. "Sure. I'd love to."

When we reached my house, I parked, and Claire and I headed to the back of the house hand-in-hand.

"Wait here," I told her, leaving her by the back porch. Running into the woods, I phased, my wolf happily stretching. Seth was present in the pack mind.

Trotting back to Claire, she stood and smiled, reaching out to pet my head. She stared into my eyes and leaned her forehead against mine.

"I'm going to draw a picture of this," she mused, stroking my fur. I yipped in excitement and licked her face, making her laugh. Nudging her with my muzzle, I bent down, urging her to climb on my back.

Mounting my back, Claire laid on her belly, her body pressed into mine. For the first time, I realized just how intimate this was, and I could hear Seth groan in annoyance. She patted my neck, our old signal to let me know she was ready. I turned my head to glance at her and took off.

Through the woods, we ran with such freedom, wind pushing at our faces, only the rustle of other animals moving about. Claire laughed, her clear voice ringing through the air like a bell.

Finally, we came to a clearing, and I slowed to a walk. Claire propped herself up, digging her fingers deep into my fur, and I wandered around, taking in the peaceful landscape. She hummed a familiar tune absentmindedly, and I couldn't help but think how fast the years had gone by. It seemed that just yesterday, she was just a child, I like an older brother to her. And now here we were, together, falling in love, she entering the adult world.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: **Bam! Chapter 6! Can I just say that Quil and Claire are adorable? They are such a sweet couple. Reviews are greatly appreciated! :)

* * *

**QPOV**

Adrenaline coursed through my veins as Claire and I drove to down to the beach. She stared out her window contentedly, her long, black hair falling over one shoulder, partially covering her face. She wore a pair of dark jeans and a green zip-up hoodie, a necklace I'd given her when she was younger hanging from her neck. She was beautiful, and I reached over, squeezing her hand, her cool skin against mine. She glanced at me and smiled, running her free hand over my forearm.

We were the last ones to arrive at the bonfire, and the smell of the burning wood filled the air. It was cool, the sand slightly damp, waves crashing into the shore with a muted roar.

"Claire!" Nessie hugged her, wrapping her thin arms around her shoulders. "How's my girl?"

"I'm great, Aunt Ness," she replied. "I haven't seen you in forever!" Nessie squeezed her into her shoulder.

"I know, right?" the blonde yammered. "You and Quil should come up to the house for dinner soon." She winked at me.

Jake strode up behind the two women, kissing his wife on her cheek, and then Claire on her forehead. He was the biggest of all of us at 6'7", an Alpha without a doubt, with traditional Quileute looks - tall, dark, and handsome. Before he married Nessie, girls threw themselves at him left and right, though he had no interest in them anyway. He and Nessie were a stunning couple, soul mates, imprinter and imprintee.

"Hey, guys - Quil, Claire. Ready for tonight?" He gave me a pointed look. I gave him a slight nod, and he understood.

"You know me," Claire answered, ever chipper. The telling of the Quileute legends had always been one of Claire's favorite events. Since even a small child, Claire would beg me to tell her the stories over and over again, never getting tired of the history of the Pack.

"Well, shall we get this party started?"

* * *

I scarcely listened as Billy spoke, instead focusing entirely on Claire. She listened with intendment, hanging on every word, eyes focused, engaged. Leaning against me, I ran my fingers through her silky hair, soothing more myself than her. Could she hear my heart racing? She shivered, and I pulled her closer to me, enveloping her in my body heat. How much of the legends did she really understand? A soft hand touched my face. Claire looked up at me, worried.

"Are you okay?" she whispered. I forced a smile and nodded.

"Just fine," I reassured her, taking her hand to press a kiss to it.

In all the time I had known Claire, she could read me better than anyone, better than the Pack. Even at a young age, she seemed to sense when I was sad, like when my grandfather passed away, or upset, like when Jake broke away from Sam's pack. Claire listened when I needed to vent or counseled advice if I asked. She held me up at my weakest and rejoiced with me at my strongest. She was my everything, my other half.

Billy finished, and everyone clapped, patting him on the back with admiration and respect. Claire stood up and walked over to give the now elderly man a hug before joining me once more, entwining her fingers with mine.

"Let's go for a walk," I suggested, swallowing my fear as best I could.

"Alright," she agreed. "It's a pretty night out anyway." We started along the length of the beach, silent, listening to the waves and staring at the stars.

"So, what did you think?" I asked once we were finally out of earshot.

She scuffed her feet in the wet sand. "Incredible as always. Grandpa Billy is really a great storyteller. And the legends, they always amaze me - to think that they're true."

"Yeah," I agreed. "They're not just legends. Even the part about imprinting, it's real. Look at Sam and Emily or Jacob and Nessie. It's hard to believe it, but it happened." Claire nodded, still looking at her feet. I swallowed.

"Can I tell you one more story?" I asked, fighting to keep my voice even. "I don't believe you've heard this one before, and I think it's time."

Now she looked up at me, curious. "Does it have to do with the legends?"

"Sort of," I stumbled. "I mean, yes. It's-" I took a deep breath and sat in the sand, Claire following suit, leaning into my side. "There was this wolf, you see. And one day, he met this little girl who was visiting her aunt's house. He was still pretty new to the Pack, and he had been warned about imprinting, but he didn't even give it a second though since it was supposed to be really rare. Well, he had just come back from a run, and he walked into the house, heading to the kitchen since he was pretty hungry. The little girl's aunt happened to also be in the kitchen, holding her, and when he walked in and saw her, his whole world changed. The Earth no longer held gravity for him; she held it. He instantly felt attached to her, concerned for her happiness, wanting to protect her from all harm's way. Unfortunately, he forgot about his own safety for a second, and his pack leader, the little girl's uncle, dragged him out the backdoor and punched him in the face.

B-but it all worked out. The uncle made the shit scared wolf phase, and he realized that he only wanted to make the little girl happy, and even though the wolf ended up with two black eyes for a couple days, he got to watch over the little girl. And the girl's mother accepted the wolf, and the wolf was really happy because he cared for the little girl a lot. And the little girl grew up, and he watched, always looking out for her, and, and-" Claire squeezed my hand, staring at me with tender eyes.

"It's okay, Quil," she said soothingly. "I know."

"Y-you know?" I stuttered. "You're not mad?" I stared at her in amazement, stunned. She laughed softly, laying her head against my chest.

"Of course I'm not mad, Quil," Claire answered. "How could I be? You basically just told me that we're soul mates." Her words hung in the air for a moment.

"How?" I asked. "Or who? And when?"

"At the end of the summer, we had that bonfire, and Grandpa Billy was telling the legends. I never really had thought much about imprinting, but I knew that Uncle Sam had imprinted on Aunt Emily. I also heard that Uncle Jake imprinted on Nessie as a baby, and after that, it really got me thinking how similar our relationship was to theirs. It made me wonder, and really hope, that we really were meant to be together." She paused. "I became more certain after we confessed our feelings for each other, and I knew that if it was true, then when you were ready, you'd tell me. You've never been dishonest to me, so I knew that if you didn't tell me, you had a good reason. So, I decided to wait, because God knows you've waited for me."

I cupped her jaw and turned her towards me, capturing her soft lips with mine. "I love you, Claire Young."

"I love you too," she whispered.

* * *

_A/N: Don't worry! This story is not over yet! There is drama still to come! ;)_


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note: **And as promised, drama! Thank you to everyone who left me such nice reviews! :)

* * *

**CPOV**

November came and went, and Christmas was just around the corner. The air grew colder and snow began to fall as the days got shorter.

"I wish you could come," I sighed, my arms lazily strung around his neck. His warm arms were wrapped around my waist, resting just above my hip bones. I stared at him with his deep chocolate eyes and bushy black hair. Quil had decided to grow out his hair a little longer than his usual buzz for the winter, and I had to say, I kind of liked it.

"I know," he replied, "I do too. But, I'll come see you tonight when you get home." He placed a kiss on my lips, sending electricity through my body. I gave his hand a final squeeze and let go. "Have fun."

* * *

"Claire!" Natalie hugged me. "Don't you look cute? I'm surprised Quil let you go."

I laughed. "Thanks, Nat. You look nice too."

"I'm going to get some punch. You want any?" she asked. I shook my head.

"No, thanks. You go ahead." I wandered around the room, greeting other people from school, catching up with a few I hadn't seen in a while. It was strange how people changed over time, starting as little kids to becoming almost grown adults. I thought of Quil once again, how he and I had grown up together, him always by my side. He'd been there for me through thick and thin, and I was grateful I had him. He understood what it was like to grow up without a father, with a single-working mother. He understood how I felt when there was no one else who could. I realized, Quil had always been my other half.

"Hi there, beautiful," a voice came from behind me. I turned around to find Damon. Shit.

"Uh, hi," I said awkwardly. I looked around nervously, wondering when Natalie was coming back.

"Merry Christmas," he recited, looking at me expectantly. I sighed.

"What do you want, Damon?" I asked, exasperated.

"On the contrary, Claire," he replied arrogantly. "It's something you want from me. You see, I realized that you've only kissed one guy, so you have nothing to compare it with. So, as a Christmas present, I'm giving you a comparison." Damon pulled something from behind his back and dangled it before me. Mistletoe.

"Damon," I stated firmly, "this needs to stop. I'm not going to kiss you, and I don't need a comparison. So, please, quit harassing me." I turned to walk away, and he caught my wrist, swiveling me back around. His face was pure anger.

"Fine, you can go back to your pervert boyfriend, but you're not leaving without a mark."

"Like hell." Before I could even comprehend what I was doing, I punched him. He yelped and crumpled to the floor, groaning and holding his nose. Now a crowd drew, whispering and staring, and I panicked, grabbing my purse and fleeing for the door.

"Claire! Claire!" I ignored Natalie and slipped out of the house, getting in my car, shaking. I drove on autopilot, not knowing where I was even going, until I arrived at Quil's house.

I knocked. "Oh, hey, Claire," Embry answered. "What are you-are you okay? Is that blood on your hand?" He opened the door wider, shuffling me inside.

I stared at everything blankly, my mind running on overload. My hand throbbed shooting pain up my arm, but I didn't care.

"Sit here," Embry ordered, gently pushing me into a chair. "I'm going to get some ice and call Quil." I nodded vacantly.

Several minutes passed, and Embry returned with a bag of ice and a washcloth. He bend down, looking at me with furrowed eyebrows, and then took my hand and began to wipe it clean. I watched, still shaking with adrenaline. When he finished, he put the ice over my swollen knuckles and stood up, kissing my hair. He then left to discard the spoiled towel.

A second later, Quil burst into the house, rushing over to me.

"Claire, what happened?" he demanded, checking me over for further injury. "Embry called and said you looked like you got in a fight."

I looked at him, still at a loss for words. He stared at me with worried eyes then refocused on my hand. He lifted the bag and took a peek.

"Oh, Claire," he whispered. "Okay. Come here." Quil lifted me into his strong arms and relocated us to the couch. He set me down right beside him, and I rested my head on his shoulder as he held me. "It's okay. Shhhhh…."

* * *

**QPOV**

Whatever had happened to Claire had sent her over the edge, and whoever was involved had a lot of explaining to do. After about twenty minutes, she'd finally stopped shaking, but she still had yet to say anything. So we sat there together, and I waited.

"I punched him," Claire announced, clearing her throat. I looked at her, her face expressionless.

"Who?" I asked.

"D-damon," she stuttered, pausing. "W-we were at the party and he walked up behind me when Nat went to get some punch and I asked him what he wanted and he said that he didn't want anything, that I wanted something, and then all the suddenly he pulled out mistletoe and started saying all this stuff about how I've never had a comparison to you and that was what he was going to give me, s-so I told him that he had to stop harassing me, and I tried to walk away. But, he grabbed my wrist and tried anyway and called you a pervert and said that I wasn't getting away without a mark. A-and before I knew it, he was on the floor and I had punched him."

I clenched my jaw. That was it. No one messed with my Claire. This bastard was dead.

* * *

_**Author's Note: **__Well, Quil is a little pissed. I guess we'll find out Damon's fate soon enough..._


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: I apologize for not updating for a long time! :/ It has been so busy with work and such! This chapter is pretty short. Thanks for reading and leaving reviews! :)**

* * *

**QPOV**

Damon strolled out of school carelessly, laughing with his circle of friends, as I leaned against my truck, waiting for Claire. Although Claire said that she'd hit him, there were no marks on him. He'd gotten off lucky or so he thought. Pushing my back off the warm metal, I stalked towards the teenager, hands stuffed in my back pockets.

"Hey, you," I called out to him when I had gotten close enough. He stopped, looking around at his friends.

"What do you want?" he spat. Damon's friends stood by him, folding their arms over their chests.

"You know what I want," I growled, leveling us face-to-face, barely an inch between us. "Let me make something clear, you arrogant bastard: if you _ever_ touch my Claire again, or even come so much as near her, I will kill you. You stay away from her. She's mine." My voice was low and steady. He glared at me with equal intensity.

"Is that a threat?" he challenged.

"No," I corrected. "A promise." He snorted, rolling his eyes.

"Well, let me make you a promise, since that's what we're doing," he countered. "I will uncovered your secrets, Quil Ateara, of why you don't age and exactly how old you are. And when I do, I will reveal to everyone the true pervert you are for preying on a young, innocent girl like Claire."

"You fucking bastard-" My fist collided with his face, and he flew backward, his friends catching him as he stumbled. I ran forward to hit him again, my blood boiling with rage, and pushed aside the guys standing in my way.

"Quil!" Claire ran frantically towards me, grabbing my arm to pull me away. "What are you doing?!"

"This son-of-a-bitch needs to learn a lesson," I glowered, pointing at the offender. Claire shook her head, eyes locked on mine.

"Quil, not like this. We need to talk," she pleaded. "Don't do this now. Let's just go." Again, she pulled on my arm, urging me to follow her. I glanced at Damon and huffed, reluctantly giving in.

"Fine."

Fuming in silence, I jammed the keys into the ignition and let the engine roar to life. Why did Claire pull me away? Didn't she understand that I was defending her? Did she not want me to defend her? And what was this "we need to talk" business? I played her words over and over again as I clutched the steering wheel.

When we arrived at my house, Embry was out, and we were left alone.

"Claire," I began, clearing my throat, "I know these last couple weeks have been kind of rough, and people are spreading rumors about our relationship, particularly about me being a pervert, but I hope you know I would never do anything to hurt you. And I know I probably shouldn't have punched that idiot, but I'm not sorry because he deserved it after the way he's been harassing you. And I understand if this is too much for you and you don't want to be with me anymore, but I'll always love you, Claire, and I want more than anything for you to be happy." Claire stared at me blankly for a moment before her eyebrows furrowed.

"Quil, where is this coming from?" she questioned, and immediately, I knew she was upset.

"Y-you said her needed 'to talk'," I stuttered, confused. Claire looked up, glossy-eyed, and closed the distance between us. Pressing her mouth firmly against mine, her arms snaked around my neck, mine around her waist.

As she pulled back, she grabbed my hand, placing it over her heart. "You feel that?" she asked, and I nodded. "As long as my heart is beating, Quil Ateara, I will love you. Don't ever doubt my love for you. I made a poor choice of words earlier, and I'm sorry for that. But I would never, ever give up on us."

Pulling her against me, I captured her soft lips fully, darting out my tongue to mingle with hers. She moaned, gaining a strong reaction from my body, and I picked her up, her legs wrapping around my torso, to move to the couch. Claire's fingers were buried in my hair, and her skin tasted like sweet honey as I made my way down her neck, leaving a trail of small kisses. The door swung open with a bang, startling both of us, and we broke apart.

* * *

**CPOV**

Embry strode in wearing an oil-stained t-shirt, and Quil shot him a glare, sliding me off his lap. He paid no attention to his housemate but instead smirked.

"Did I interrupt something?" he teased. I buried my nose in Quil's chest, hiding my blush.

"Go away, Embry," Quil and I groaned simultaneously. He put his hands up defensively.

"Okay," he conceded, "jeez. I'm not even wanted at my own house. I get it." He walked away and Quil chuckled.

"You had something important to tell me anyway," Quil reminded me. "It seemed serious." I nodded, facing him.

"There's something off about Damon, and I don't just mean the fact that he's harassing me. Did you notice that he didn't have a black eye or that his nose was perfectly fine? I hit him hard, Quil. I heard something snap when I hit him, and Natalie said he was bleeding quite a bit. _And, _he has this glint to his eyes whenever he mentions you, like he knows something. He seems so sure that you're a lot older than you look. Most people wouldn't even think twice if you told them you were twenty."

"I'll call Jake," he replied. "We could have a real problem on our hands."


End file.
